DETROIT (AP/WOWO): A top United Auto Workers official is telling General Motors that if the company had made its latest offer earlier, the union may not have gone on strike.

The letter from UAW Vice President Terry Dittes to GM’s chief bargainer says the company waited to make the offer until two hours before the contract expired Friday night. He says it would have been possible to reach an agreement and avoid a strike if the company moved sooner.

More than 49,000 GM workers walked off their jobs just after midnight Monday. That includes about 3,900 at the Fort Wayne GM Assembly Plant.

Dittes writes that they still have to resolve differences over wages, pay increases for new hires, health care, job security, and other issues.

Contract talks resumed at 10am.